Dubai to switch off lights

 

  

Dubai has joined the Worldwide Fund for Nature’s Earth Hour movement, a global climate change initiative that will see thousands of lights turned off all over the city at 8pm on Saturday.

 

Dubai is the first Arab city to support to Earth Hour, the largest voluntary power-shutdown in history.

 

Dubai Holding and the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) have linked up to lead the initiative, which also has the support of Dubai Municipality, Dubai International Financial Centre, the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai World Trade Centre, Nakheel, Emaar and Leo Burnett.

 

“We are asking everyone to switch off all non-essential lights and appliances for one hour to send a message around the world that we have the power to take action against global warming and by working together we can make a huge difference,” said Fadel Ali, Executive Chairman of Dubai Holding Operations.

 

“Earth Hour will clearly demonstrate the connection between energy usage and climate change, showing that we as a broader community can address the biggest threat our planet has ever faced,” he said.

 

Earth Hour, which began last year in Sydney, has become a worldwide environmental movement that will see millions of people turn off non-essential lighting.

 

A spokesman said: “Taking action is not difficult and can be as simple as turning off a mobile phone charger when it is not in use, switching off the television or CD player, rather than leaving it on standby, turning off unused lights or making sure office and home computers are completely shut down.”

 

Kamal Dimachkie from the Dubai office of Leo Burnett, said: “Earth Hour is all about people sharing responsibility for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. By turning the lights off, we can turn the lights on in people’s minds about the need to find better ways to live.”